How to keep your dog calm and safe at equestrian events

A day at a show, horse trial or country fair can be much enjoyed by all the family, including your dog. But such an outing is unlikely to be suitable for dogs of all ages and temperaments. It pays to do some homework first, in terms of preparing for your dog’s visit and assessing how they will cope around galloping hooves..

How can you find out if your dog is going to bark at a horse trial when a horse goes past?

Dogs bark for many reasons and ultimately if your dog barks at people, other dogs, the postman, cats, when chasing toys, or when encountering new things, there is a chance they will bark at horses too. They may bark through fear, frustration or anticipation, but if situations like these usually result in barking, it’s best to consider if you should take them to an equestrian event if they can be left at home. 

Good things to do at home

If you’re planning the first such visit, however, find out how your dog will respond to horses by going to meet some horses outside of an equestrian event.

Keep your dog on a loose lead and teach your dog to watch them quietly as they stand, eat and move around. Teach your dog to look and look away from the horse and up to you, and to gently greet a horse (if appropriate for both dog and horse) that approaches your dog on its terms. 

How can you manage or train a dog’s instinct to chase or bark at a passing horse?

Ultimately dogs are movement sensitive and predators, so it will take some active impulse control training to teach a dog not to chase.

We can teach dogs that they will receive alternative rewards like food or affection for staying calm when they watch things run (like joggers, cyclists or skateboards).

You can also redirect a wound-up dog onto a toy to bite or chase after if they're getting particularly aroused by moving horses etc.

The key is training before you get to the event rather than trying to teach your dog what to do on the day, surrounded by loads of other distracting smells sights and sounds.

How to minimise stress on the day

Try to get a good distance away from the action so your dog can see what is going on but is not too close, so they can't focus on you when you call them.

Avoid having to hold your dog on a tight lead under stress, or getting close enough that they may spook a horse by barking, wriggling or trying to get free.

Be aware of what may be stressful for a dog:

1. Crowds of people
2. The size, smell and sound of the horses
3. Energy and stress levels of the competitors, which a dog can smel
4. Unclear expectations from human handlers who are busy talking, shopping or spectating.
5. Being scolded for nautral behaviour or fear responses
6. Being told they can't eat horse poo (it's actually very nutritious, full of fibre and interesting bacteria that could be good for their gut) 

And possible dangers:

Being trodden on by people or horses, or spooking a horse. Try not to have your dog near the front as a horse approaches a fence; keep them behind and out of sight

Which dogs should ideally be left at home?

1. If your dog is pretty switched on around livestock on your walks and your dog has previously wriggled out of collars or harnesses, it's not worth the risk to everyone to bring them.
2. If your dog already barks at people, dogs, joggers, cyclists, new things
3. If your dog is very young or elderly
4. If your dog is a high drive working breed that likes to stare at prey or cats and herd
5. If you’ve never done any training with your dog around horses before
6. Your dog is vocal for attention in general at home or a vocal breed like a hound, toy dog or daxi
7. If the event is on a day over 21 degrees there is a potential risk of heatstroke. This risk becomes significant if the dog is brachycephalic (or short nosed)

Read our guide on taking your dog to a horse event.